Network operators provide end users network services for connectivity. The network services (which can also be interchangeably referred to as network resources) can include, without limitation, wavelengths or portions thereof, Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) services (such as Optical Transport Network (OTN) or the like), packet services (such as Ethernet, Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS), Internet Protocol (IP), and the like), and combinations thereof. The network services are provided based on a network operator's network infrastructure that of course is a finite resource. This leads to the problem of how the network operator properly prices the network services to maximize opportunity using on-demand forecasts. Pricing systems and methods are known in other industries such as with airlines or hotels. However, airline pricing is for networked resources (i.e., there can be many different routes to a same destination) without variable durations (i.e., a seat on a flight is sold for an entire flight). Hotel pricing, while having variable durations is for independent resources. Network services are an example of networked resources for services with non-uniform durations, and existing techniques in the airline or hotel industries do not operate effectively for network services.
Concurrently, Software Defined Networking (SDN), Network Functions Virtualization (NFV), and the like offer an opportunity to improve current network management practices such as with network service pricing and resource management. SDN provides an architecture that is dynamic, manageable, cost-effective, and adaptable, making it ideal for the high-bandwidth, dynamic nature of applications. This architecture decouples the network control and forwarding functions enabling the network control to become directly programmable and the underlying infrastructure to be abstracted for applications and network services. NFV is a network architecture concept that proposes using Information Technology (IT) virtualization related technologies to virtualize entire classes of network node functions into building blocks that may be connected, or chained, to create communication services. A Virtualized Network Function (VNF) can include one or more virtual machines running different software and processes, on top of industry standard high volume servers, switches, and storage, or even cloud computing infrastructure, instead of having custom hardware appliances for each network function.